Disney’s Haunted Mansion Movie Conjures Nostalgia

Disney’s Haunted Mansion Movie Conjures Nostalgia

The Haunted Mansion attraction is a timeless classic, and we have yet another major motion picture that has drawn inspiration from the iconic theme park attraction. This is Disney’s second trip to Gracie Manor, having already been there in 2003 alongside Eddie Murphy. This time around, The Haunted Mansion assembles and ensemble cast featuring LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jared Leto.

The premise of the Haunted Mansion is simple, Rosario Dawson and her son happen upon Gracie Mansion and a ghost follows them home. In fact, everyone who steps foot into the Mansion cannot escape these spectral visits, so this group of strangers band together to solve the mystery of the mansion so they can resume their lives without any further disruptions.

Related: New ‘Haunted Mansion’ Hatbox Ghost Sipper Coming to Disneyland

While the plot was simple, I found myself groaning at how unrealistic it seemed that a widower would voluntarily move into that house alone, thus triggering the whole plot. But hey, this is the movies, so I suspended my disbelief, climbed into my doom buggy and just rolled with it.

Haunted Mansion traffics heavily in parks nostalgia, and is chock full of references to the attraction. There are countless blink and you missed it references to the ride, but for Disney parks purists they will certainly squeal in delight when they peep yet another easter egg.

As a diehard Disney Parks fan, this is where Haunted Mansion excelled. It relies solely upon my love of the ride to carry me through what is otherwise a humdrum film. While the movie is not wholly unenjoyable, it doesn’t move the needle in the same way that Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl did in 2003. I do however want to affirm that Haunted Mansion 2023 is far superior to Eddie Murphy’s iteration.

Related: Rotten Tomatoes Score for Disney’s Haunted Mansion Out Now

The cast does an outstanding job of selling the premise of the film, and I really gravitated towards Owen Wilson and LaKeith Stanfield. Other cast members perform admirably with what little they get in the script, but this is LaKeith Stanfield’s movie, and he grounds the film well enough so that the premise seems rooted. Jamie Lee Curtis admirably brings Madame Leota to life, but Jared Leto creates a menacing Hatbox Ghost that has become my new favorite.

The film has some other fun cameos, specifically Winona Ryder and Dan Levy as tour guides. The film wasn’t “funny” but fun, nor was it scary. Parents, do play close attention to the PG-13 rating, as the film could potential cause some sleepless nights for younger children. There are a few jump scares, and they did make the characters fairly gruesome rather than cartoonish.

With a runtime of 2 hours and 2 minutes, Haunted Mansion isn’t a major investment. I think this movie will struggle to find a niche, as many parents will worry about the films content and rating. Is it scary, but not jarring. I want to repeat that it is scary enough for small kids. It’s also not a horror film that will pull in diehard horror enthusiasts.

This film is made for people who love the ride, and I assert that it will appeal to only that demographic. Personally I would rank both Pirates of the Caribbean and The Jungle Cruise ahead of Haunted Mansion as films, but Mansion is a worthy entry into Disney’s adaptations and redeems the 2003 atrocity.

We give Haunted Mansion 2.5 out of five stars. A fun film for the right audience and at the right age. What did you think of the movie? Let us know your thoughts in a comment.

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